Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-01-29

~tass9SNsAA undcr-c q lculatd
~~-dwcllinCs conceived
A~ and erected in the
~ @cxtravagance of the
@~~> San Francisco
builders hopes, nvd
occupied finally in his despair. Intended
originally as tho palace of somo inchoate
California Aladdin, it usually ended as a
lodging house in which some helpless widow
or hopeless spinster managed to combine re-
spectability with tho hard task of bread ret
ting. Thatchcr's landlady wa QUO of tho
former class. Sho had unfortunately sur.
vivcd not only her husband but Ills property,
and, living il some deserted chamber, had,
after the fashion Of the ltalinn nobility, let
out tho rest of the ruin. A tendency to
dwell upon these facts gavo her conversation
q peculiar significance upon tho FIRST of each
month. Thatcher had noticed this with tho
sensitiveness Of an impoverished gentleman.
Eut when, q fcw days after her lolgerss sud-
den disappearance, note caine from hin,
containing u draft in lxoblo excess of al ar
rcars and charges, the widows hcurt was
lifted, and tho rock sniittcn with tho golden
wand gushed bcnefcence that shonc il O new
Gown for tho widow aud now suit for "John.
ny" her son, q llcw oilcloth in tho hall, better:
service to tho dodgers, ald, let US he thank
ful. q l;tndlicr consideration for tho poor littlv
blaclicyed painter from Monterey, tl,cn
~drrndfully behind in her room rent. For, to
tell tho truth, tho calls upon Miss
Do uaro's scant purse by hvr un.
clio Ind latoly been frequent, perjury
having declined IN tho Monterrey uor-
kot through excessive and injudicious supply,
until tho limo of demnrcation between it ui,d
absolute verify was SO finely drawn thut Vic.
tor Garcia had remarked that "ho might os
we'll tell tho truth ut oico n,,d a v his soul,
since tho lovil wa III tho MARKET"
Mistress PlodGi:::. tho lu,dlady, could not
resist tho desire to acquaint Carmen Dc lIaro
with her GOOD fortuna. "Ho was always a
friend Of yours. my .loar, and ! know him to
bo a gentleman that would never lot O poor
willow suffer; and SEQ what ho says about
youl" Hero sho produced Thatcler's noto and
read: "Tcll my l:ttlo noighbor that I shall
como back soon to carry hur aud Lcr s!.otcLing
tools or by force, aud l shall not lot hcr 70
turn until clio has CAUGHT tho tlack noun.
tatas and tho roll rocks st,c used to talk about.
md Put tho 'nlue Mass mil i'll tho foreground
nf the picture I shall order"
What is THU, littlo QUO, Surely. Carmen.
tl,on nrctlst net Ilush ut this. thy f,st crand
ot.cr. Holy Virgin! IL it Of o necessity TINT
thou shouldst stick the wrong end Of thy
brush in thy mouth, and thon drop Il In thy
lapt Or was 1t taught thee by tho good Sis.
ters at tho convent to stride in that boyish
fashion to tho side Of thy elders and snatch
from their bands tho missive thou wouldst
,eadi Moro Of this wo would know, o Car.
men-smallcst Of bruncttcs-speak, little one,
even in thinc owu mo!oIious speech, TINT /
may commend thee and thy raro discretion to
my own fair country women.
Alas, neither the present ~chroniclor nor
Mistress Plolgitt got any further inforrna-
ton from the prudent Carmen. and must fsin
speculate upon certain facts that were already
known.
Mistress Garments little ROOM was opposite
to Thatchcr's, and once or twice, the doors
being open. Thatcher had a glimpse ncross the
passage Of q 6lack-huired and a sturdy, boy
ish little GSSurc in q great blue apron, pe,ched
on u stool before on easel, and on the o.aor
hand, Carmen had often been conscious Of tho
fumes Of q tobacco pipe penetrating hcr
clustered seclusion, and had secn across the
passage, vaguely envelopcd in the same rico.
tine cloud, All American Olympiun. in a
rocking chair, with his feet OH the u,antel
shelf. They had onco or twice mot on tho
staircase, on which occnsion Thatcher had
greeted hcr with u word or " Of respectful
yet half humorous ccurtesy-a courtesy
which never really otreuds o truc woman,
although it often riaues her self.aplon,b ly
the slight assumption Of superiority in tho
humorist. A ON II quick to recognize
the fact that the great and moro dangerous
passions are always serious. and may be OK.
cused If in self-respect she il often induced to
try il there he not somewhere under the skin
IT this laughing Mcrcutio tho lesh and blood
Of o Romeo. Thatcher was by na-
ture a defender and protector: weak.
ness. and weakness alone, stirred the
depths Of his tenderncss-ofscn, l fear. ONLY
through its half humorous a~spccts-nnd on
this plane he was pleased to place women and
children. I mention this fact for the benefit
Of the more youthful members Of my species,
and anl satisfied that an unconditional sur
render and tho complete laying down ct TIE
foot of beauty Of oil strong mascu!inity is a
cheap Gallicism that Il untranslatable to
most women worthy tho winning. For .
woman must always look up to the man she
truly loves-even if she has to 60 down on her
knees to do it..
Only tho masculine rpadss VIII iate eem